Inability to get a good night sleep can result in sadness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, poor memory and obesity.
If your insomnia is due to an overactive mind, then schedule worry time during the day. Writing down your thoughts or feelings often will break the vicious cycle and allow the mind to rest.
A regular schedule improves sleep. Go to bed and rise at the same time, even on weekends and holidays. Exercise, meditate or do yoga on a daily basis to calm the mind.
Fluorescent lights decrease the hormone melatonin, which is necessary for sleeping. Change to full spectrum lights, better still spend more time outside and enjoy the benefits of natural sunlight.
Exercise on a daily basis to relieve the tension from a hectic day and to assist relaxation of the muscles and mind. Avoid strenuous exercise in the evening as it may stimulate the body and keep you up.
To relax the body, take deep, slow breaths with a prolonged exhalation. Another way of relaxing is to progressively tighten and then relax every muscle in the body starting with your toes and working up to your neck.
Starchy foods before bedtime tend to raise the level of serotonin in the brain. This often has a sedating effect. Eat half a baked potato, a banana, an apple or a piece of toast half an hour before bed.
Stimulants are the worst offenders for disrupting sleep. After 11 a.m. eliminate all coffee, tea, cola, chocolate and over the counter medication with caffeine. Alcohol initially can be sedating, but as the night goes on it will lighten and fragment sleep.
Keep your bedroom dark. Melatonin, the main hormone for balancing sleep needs darkness. Use thick curtains, blinds or eye masks to ensure maximum darkness.
If you are under a lot of stress avoid sugar, stimulants and processed fast food. These foods might be quick, but they lack the essential building blocks for health.
Take slow, deep, regular breaths throughout the day to assist in coping with stressful situations more easily.
(Excerpt of CAND)
Here are a few easy steps to teach you how to do tension releasing deep breathing.
Take a few breaths as you do normally. Do you notice your abdomen or your chest rising? In a stressed state you would feel mostly your chest rising. If this is the case, then it is advisable you practice deep breathing exercises for 5 minutes 2 to 4 times per day.
Start by either sitting or lying down comfortably with your eyes closed, and your shoulders relaxed. Place one hand on your abdomen and the other hand on your chest. Inhale by allowing your abdomen to rise first and then your chest. Follow this by breathing out letting your chest drop first followed by your abdomen.
This takes a bit of concentration and time. If you find this exercise challenging, start by doing this deep breathing exercise only once prior to sleeping while comfortably lying down on your bed. Close your eyes, inhale and exhaling slowly 5 times with focus on allowing your belly to rise before your chest.
Once you have become comfortable with it, increase the number of deep breaths to last 5 minutes and increase the frequency of it to 2-4 times per day.
This is an easy and effective way to reduce stress throughout the day leading to a better night of sleep.